


Blossom, & Bear Fruit

by mrwonderwoman (fem_castielnovak)



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Affection, Alternate Universe - Bakery, Alternate Universe - Flower Shop, First Kiss, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Getting Together, M/M, New Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-23
Updated: 2018-03-23
Packaged: 2019-04-06 22:16:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,082
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14066751
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fem_castielnovak/pseuds/mrwonderwoman
Summary: While closing up his flower shop one afternoon, Phil gets a surprise visit from his favorite baker-slash-coffee shop owner





	Blossom, & Bear Fruit

**Author's Note:**

> This is actually an alternate ending to another fic I've been working on. I ended up going in a different direction with that first story, but this is what I initially wanted from it.

 

 

Phil is thinking about tomorrow's delivery schedule as he locks up "Liberty & Justice Floral" on Tuesday afternoon. Someone had called in an extra order when they don't normally get flowers until Thursdays, and he's absorbed in mentally arranging the most efficient route he'll have to take to make sure that everyone else still gets their deliveries on time. Which is maybe why he doesn't notice beautiful weather or the tense silhouette seated on the bench that sits outside the center of his front window. 

They've got something wrapped in white paper on their lap and their head in their hands, braced on their knees, rubbing their fingers once, then twice through their short hair and staring out the ground. They don't seem to have noticed Phil either. 

Phil pockets the key and steps towards the familiar figure. "Clint?" he calls out - not wanting to startle the other man but loud enough that he's sure to be heard. 

His face turns up towards Phil and seems to immediately flush, perhaps embarrassed at having been caught so obviously out of sorts. Phil regrets not having been louder as he'd come out the front door. 

Clint stands quickly, with nervous grace and Phil takes another step forward. The paper package crinkles in Clint's hand as he reaches up with his other hand to fiddle with his hearing aid.   
"Hey. Hi," he says as Phil closes the last of the real distance between them. 

"What's the occasion?" he asks with a friendly smile. 

Clint's face pinks the slightest bit, "Heh, I know that's just something people say, but, um, there actually is an occasion. Kind of."

"Oh?" Phil says, deeply intrigued and hoping he's hiding it at least a little. 

Clint holds out the package to him, "I- ... I wanted to bring you a flower, but that ... I dunno, that seemed kinda dumb. What with you ..." he gestures halfway between Phil and the building - his florist shop. 

Phil smiles, lips closed but feeling genuinely amused at the sweet, obviously deeply considered gesture. He bats away his own curiosity at why Clint would want to bring him a flower and nods his head towards the colorful window display in the window beside them, "I kinda like flowers."

Clint blushes again, "Right," his eyes drop to the sidewalk before bouncing back up to meet Phil's, "I just, well - anyways, I didn't bring you one, I brought you this instead." He holds out the small, paper package. Phil doesn't know how he'd missed it before but it's got a sticker with the logo of Clint's bakery keeping the paper taped shut. "I thought it would ... be better anyways. For what I wanted. More personal."

Phil takes the package from him and it gives a little - soft and warm; freshly baked. 

"I can still go find you a flower if you want. I mean, you just closed up so it'll take me more than a few minutes to find someone else selling some. And it'll probably be weird buying from somebody other than you. Might have to get it from a grocery store." His expression wrinkles. "But I could. It's, uh, it's still more traditional, I guess."

Without dropping his gaze, Phil brings the paper up to his nose and takes a deep breath. Clint swallows hard and visibly. 

"Chili chocolate croissant," Phil says with more confidence than just a guess as he brings the baked good away from his face. 

Clint nods, "I almost stopped to get you those stupid plastic donuts you like, but, uh, these were on hand an' I thought-"

"It's perfect," Phil says, quiet and reassuring. Clint's baking is the only thing that he loves as much as junk food - hell, he probably loves it more. "It probably won't make it halfway home before I finish it off."

Clint's grin is small but sure. 

"What was it you wanted?" he asks, trying to still sound reassuring through his curiosity. Clint's face pinches like he's lost his train of thought. "Is it the same thing that a flower would be more traditional for?"

Clint's expression drops, ostensibly as he remembers whatever he'd forgotten. 

"Um, uh, yeah. Y'see-" he clears his throat. "I-" he hesitates, looks at the ground then back up at Phil. Phil wants to say something to smooth the conversation or ease Clint's obvious tension, but Clint gathers himself. "I'd like to take you out to dinner."

Phil blinks at him for a moment. It was one of the possibilities he'd off handedly thought of a flower being a traditional gift for but he hadn't really considered it because Clint? Wanting to take him on a date?

Clint holds his gaze and looks like he wants to fidget but doesn't so much as shift his weight between his feet. 

"You're asking me on a date?" he says quietly without much to read from his tone. He's mostly holding back to try and keep from sounding ridiculous. 

He hears Clint swallow but it's not as obvious as before. Clint nods. "Yeah-  _yes_. I- I really like you. A lot. And I want to try, if you'd like, maybe having a relationship with you. More than friendship."

"Really?" he asks dumbly. He doesn't know what he's thinking or doing - obviously Clint is serious, he seems so genuine, if his nerves weren't already enough to give him away.

Phil must have actually put some of his emotion into his voice because this time, Clint's nod is more confident - his "Yes," more sure.

"I-" it's Phil's turn to clear his throat, "I'd love that. I really like you a lot, too." He feels a blush creeping onto his face at his blunt openness. 

Clint's expression melts into warm delight. "You would?"

"Yes, very much so," Phil hopes that the warmth and sincerity he's feeling is coming through. 

A laugh escapes Clint - a bright, happy sound. He bites his lip and looks down at his feet and then back up at Phil, through his lashes.

"Can I ... walk you home?" he asks. 

Phil is suddenly caught up in how surprisingly sweet this man can be. His soft smile widens, "You haven't even asked me about when we could go out."

"Oh, uh, I mean, it's- I'd like to spend time with you, if you have time right now, and I just, I didn't want to pressure you, and- and you're such a gentleman ...," Clint blushes and starts to duck his head but seems to catch himself at the last moment. He opens his mouth to say something else, but before he can Phil leans in to kiss his cheek.  

"C'mon, we can figure it out while we walk," he says, trying not to react to the endearing, shocked expression on Clint's face. Phil thinks he might be about to reach up and touch the spot on his face that Phil kissed, but he turns with Phil to start walking down the sidewalk. He only lives a few blocks away from the shop. For years, his business partner Melinda has said that it's the only thing that gets him to leave work, but often, Phil wishes he had one of those little apartments on the floor above the shop. Today, perhaps, he wishes it more so than normal. 

As they walk, Phil starts to unwrap the croissant just enough so he can still hold it in the paper. The first bite is heavenly - rich and spicy, almost hot. Phil closes his eyes to savor it and holds back a groan, but sighs once he swallows it, and shoots a gentle smile at Clint, who's been watching him. 

They make it to the first crosswalk before Clint, blushing furiously and staring straight ahead, reaches to take Phil's free left hand. Phil's smile renews itself, and he gives Clint a reassuring squeeze, refraining from the confrontation of looking at him again. 

Phil elbows the crosswalk button and takes another bite of pastry as they wait for the light to change. His eyes fall shut again and this time a small hum escapes him. He doesn't think it's very noticeable, but Clint's watching him when he composes himself again. Phil holds out the dessert to him in offering. Clint looks at his handiwork then back up at Phil, once more through his lashes (is he doing that on purpose?) as he leans forward and takes a slow bite. Phil had expected at most a brush of fingers as Clint took the croissant from his hand, and this is the first instance of intimacy where Clint doesn't seem off kilter or embarrassed. Hmmm, perhaps there's something there involving food that Phil can work with and use to their mutual advantage. Phil brings it back up to his own mouth for another bite without dropping eye contact. The change of the light and the beeping of the crosswalk signal is what breaks them from each other. 

"I've got late deliveries tomorrow and Thursday, but I'm free on Friday night," Phil says, not looking away from the path ahead of them. 

"I don't know if you've seen the new superhero movie yet, but if you'd like, we could see it and go out to dinner after," Clint replies, and Phil is happy that he sounds confident about this. Possibly it's because he knows Phil would have already gushed about it to him if he'd seen it, but that's a testament to how familiar and close they are to one another. 

"I'd like that very much. I can come pick you up from the cafe around 5:30?" he suggests, already excited about showing off Lola, whom he hasn't had the occasion to show Clint yet. He'll have to remember to pack sunglasses to give the full effect. 

"That'd be awesome," Clint says, and Phil can hear the smile in his voice. He gives Clint's hand another squeeze. 

The rest of the walk is passed in silent companionship. Phil at least spends it admiring the early end of the sunset and the beautiful afternoon, glad for the light traffic both on the road and the sidewalk. He finishes the croissant in short order, tossing the wrapper in a public trashcan. Clint shifts his grip to tangle their fingers together and Phil can't seem to manage to stop smiling. 

When they reach Phil's walkup, he gently pulls Clint to a stop at the foot of the external stairs. 

"Thank you for walking me home," he says, facing Clint bodily and crowding closer than before. He watches Clint's throat bob, looking up to meet his eyes before dropping them pointedly to Clint's lips. 

"Uh, yeah, it- it was my pleasure," he answers softly. His weight shifts to the balls of his feet, and it's enough feedback for Phil to lean the rest of the way in and connect their lips. It's a helluva first kiss. Clint sighs through his nose and meets Phil measure for measure. Phil brings the hand not wrapped in Clint's up to the back of Clint's neck to hold him close and prolong the contact. 

When Clint pulls away, he licks his lips and once more looks up at Phil through his lashes. 

"Do you know what you look like when you do that?" Phil asks softly, with a touch of heat. He strokes his thumb against the base of Clint's skull. 

Clint's brow furrows, "Do what?" he asks genuinely. 

Phil shakes his head, "Nothing," he replies. And before Clint can press him about it - which Phil can tell he's about to do - Phil adds, "Would it be too much to ask if you'd like to come in and have dinner with me now?"

Clint seems a little surprised but smiles, "I'd love that."

Phil smiles back, dropping his hand from Clint's neck and putting a bit of space between them. "Just so you're aware, my motivations for asking are pretty un-gentlemanly." Clint laughs a little but Phil still adds, "I've got no expectations, but I think I'm allowed a little hope. After all, I've had quite the promising afternoon, and already a wonderful start to my evening."

"Yeah, you're allowed to hope," Clint says archly, then squeezes Phil's hand. "C'mon. You gonna show me up or what?"

Phil turns towards the building, tugging Clint's arm, increasingly delighted by the progressive amounts of comfort and normalcy between them that seem to build with every passing moment. He climbs the stairs and thinks that he can't remember the last time a Tuesday afternoon was so wonderful. 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> You've reached the end of the line. Thank you for joining me on another tour of the Marvel Universe. Your attention, in addition to kudos and comments, is appreciated. Please exit safely, and mind the gap.  
> You can find me on tumblr at my [ Marvel blog](http://www.mrwonderwoman.tumblr.com).
> 
> I'm so proud of how short I managed to keep this. It was a fun, easy thing to write because I didn't make too much of it. The other fic that shares the same concept as this one is on it's way but I have other things I'm trying to finish first because I'm closer to being done with them.
> 
>  **If you liked this story you may also like:**  
> [Define Dating Perameters](https://archiveofourown.org/works/586772) by [Selenay](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Selenay/pseuds/Selenay)  
> [Causes for Celebration](https://archiveofourown.org/works/10446921) by [Ralkana](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ralkana/pseuds/Ralkana)  
> [Pinup Boy](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14067102) by [mrwonderwoman](https://archiveofourown.org/users/fem_castielnovak/pseuds/mrwonderwoman)  
> 


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